School Choice & Charters

Aid Project Targets Gulf Coast Schools

By Erik W. Robelen — October 07, 2008 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

As Roman Catholic schools and parishes across the Gulf Coast region struggle to recover from Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, the National Catholic Educational Association has launched a fundraising campaign to help out.

The Washington-based organization said it is asking the estimated 6.3 million students enrolled in Catholic schools and parish religious education programs around the country to donate $1 each to help their counterparts in the Gulf region.

“Some of these folks are suffering for the second or third time around” from recent hurricanes, said Karen M. Ristau, the president of the NCEA. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, her group launched a similar campaign, which ultimately brought in $1.7 million.

The NCEA notes that many Catholic churches and schools in Texas and Louisiana have been hard hit by the recent storms.

In the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in Texas, many schools lost power for extended periods after Hurricane Ike, though nearly all were open as of last week.

Galveston Catholic School, which serves 260 students in grades K-8, is closed, and parents have been asked to enroll their children in another school for the time being, the NCEA said. The school is expected to be without power for three to four months. Efforts are under way to reopen the school in a temporary location.

Hurricane Ike made landfall in Galveston on Sept. 13 as a Category 2 storm, with winds reaching 110 miles per hour.

Some schools and families in the Diocese of Beaumont, which includes nine counties in Texas near the border with Louisiana, also suffered damage from Hurricane Ike.

Nancy Collins, the superintendent of schools for the diocese, said the schools—five elementaries and one high school—were closed for 10 days as a result of the storm. It caused damage estimated at $25,000 to $30,000 per school, she said, with roof leaks and water blown in through doors and windows.

The storm has taken a far greater toll on some families.

Frances M. Droddy, the principal of St. Mary Catholic School in Orange, Texas, a pre-K-8 school serving 208 students, said that 17 students have been displaced, because of either partial or total loss of their homes. Two school employees also lost their homes, and two others are temporarily displaced from their homes because of severe damage, she said.

Money from the NCEA campaign will be available for various purposes, from replacing school supplies to providing tuition assistance.

“We will let those schools decide what they need most,” Ms. Ristau said.

A version of this article appeared in the October 08, 2008 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Making Science Stick: The Engaging Power of Hands-On Learning
How can you make science class the highlight of your students’ day while
achieving learning outcomes? Find out in this session.
Content provided by LEGO Education
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School Choice & Charters Trump's Order Kicks Off His Efforts to Expand Private School Choice
Trump is directing several federal agencies to look into expanding school choice offerings—a push that continues from his first term.
3 min read
President Donald Trump talks as he signs an executive order giving federal recognition to the Limbee Tribe of North Carolina, in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, in Washington.
President Donald Trump talks as he signs an executive order giving federal recognition to the Limbee Tribe of North Carolina, in the Oval Office of the White House, Jan. 23, 2025. Trump on Jan. 29 signed an executive order that would mandate a federal push for school vouchers.
Ben Curtis/AP
School Choice & Charters Opinion Teachers Might Embrace Private School Choice. Here's Why
School choice is often discussed in terms of student impact. But what's in it for teachers?
10 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
School Choice & Charters Private School Choice Will Keep Expanding in 2025. Here's Where and How
The conditions are ripe in at least a dozen states for proposals to invest public dollars in private educational options for families.
12 min read
budget school funding
iStock/Getty
School Choice & Charters Trump Wants to Expand Private School Choice. Does the Public Agree?
Both fans and opponents of private school choice argue that public sentiment is on their side.
4 min read
Artistic image of multiple paths leading to a school building.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva